Interviews:
Dee Perry, "Around Noon,"
WCPN 90.3fm, Cleveland
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A conversation with Seun Anikulapo Kuti
OKANTAH, Deep Dark Mystic of the Knights of Soul. Poetical Terror. He is Black by Demand! Chose this honored path. The high road with all the curves.... There, the mighty force of history engulfed the M. K. E. Poet....
The absolute force of Muntu-Kuntu. Before there was a "Black Aesthetic," there was a Blues Aesthetic. Before earth, before sun, before moon. Energy force.... Okantah is an integral part of our international black artistic community.... When he went to Africa I knew they would claim this unclaimed bard.... See, I told you he would be one with the one nation under a groove. Like Public Enemy, [he] understands what it means to "Fight the Power."
A committed teacher and artist. An artist committed to teach. He is a truth seeker. Miles and Miles. Energy like PJ2 (Philly Joe Jones). Energy like Prince. Energy like Spike Lee. Energy like Jayne Cortez. Energy like Amiri Baraka. Sun Ra. Larry Neal. Wu Tang Clan....
Tell me Mr. D. J., can you play Okantah's music? Not the last poets. The First Poet.... This Deep Dark Mystic of the Mighty Sea. Poetical Terror. Idiomatic and Ideological. Sharer of Gifts. Iconographic. Creator of a new space language. Strong Man. Sterling Brown recognized Okantah as a Strong Man. Strong Poet. Too Black. Too Strong. Trop! Okantah I: The Muntu Kuntu Energy Poet.
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--James G. Spady, From Cheikh Anta Diop: Poem for the Living
